Washing Off The Mark
by Cherish Aless Treasure
Summary: And then one day, he saw her, as though he had never noticed her before. She was the answer. She could rid him of it all. His whole body relaxed. He would be free of this mark, the nightmares, and the guilt that shouldn’t be there.
1. Prologue

**Hola! It's me, Cherish! I've finally thought up a new story. And here it is! There are a few things I want you to know about it:**

**1. It is AU, some people may not seem in character. **

**2. This is after the Seventh Book, minus the epilogue. **

**3. I will only update after I write a new chapter. EX: I have three chapters written, and am in the middle of chapter 4. When I finish chap. 4, I will update.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, no can I even try to take over that world. **

Prologue

It was over. Voldemort was dead. People sighed in relief. Those who had died had not given their lives for nothing. They were brave people who had stood up for the good, the right.

Death Eaters who had lived through the war were captured or surrendered themselves. Draco Malfoy was one of them. He was sentenced to death. He had lost hope. He had known he would die. Oddly enough, someone set up a trial for him.

Two people cleared his name. Severus Snape and Harry Potter. Both told their part and Draco's to the judge. The story was fully explained and it seemed because Harry Potter was witnessing, the judge cleared Draco Malfoy's name, and he walked out of the courtroom a free man.

Other Death Eaters were not so fortunate. They were either sentenced to Azkaban for the rest of their lives, or put to death.

Students who had, for some reason or other, missed their seventh year at Hogwarts were allowed to come back if they wanted. Among these people were Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom (who had missed the few last weeks of school), Draco Malfoy, and quite a few others.

For everyone safety had returned to the lifestyle they knew.

He rubbed, scratched, and scrubbed; he tried everything. It wouldn't fade. If anything, it seemed brighter, like it was laughing at him. He took to wearing clothes that covered it. He didn't want anyone to see it, to stare at it and judge him. Not that they didn't already. He was marked, in more ways than one.

Every night, he would dream horrible dreams. Haunting face, a certain one always appearing and laughing at him, mocking him. And then it would appear, the snake twisting around him and glaring. He would wake in a sweat, a cold, shivering sweat. He was thankful it wasn't worse. He could wake up screaming and everyone would know his agony, his fear, and his pain.

And then one day, he saw her, as though he had never noticed her before. She was the answer. She could rid him of it all. His whole body relaxed. He would be free of this mark, the nightmares, and the guilt that shouldn't be there. He would be free from his past, the one that lay on his wrist, killing him.

**--**

**Please review!! I want to know if this is any good!**

**C. A. T.**


	2. The Dark Mark

**Okay, so I think I made a few mistakes when I wrote the prologue. Don't worry, I'm fixing them. And they aren't like spelling or grammer mistakes. They are plot mistakes. Don't worry. I'm fine.**

Chapter One

Hermione Granger sat in the library, her nose in a book. Her life was peaceful. N.E.W.T.S were long over and she could relax now. Homework was getting harder to complete. Some days she got so tired of working on being the best student.

She was aware of someone seating themselves next at her table, but she didn't look up. Whoever was sitting there must be studying for a test or something.

"Granger." A voice hissed quietly. Hermione stiffened. Anyone who called her by her last name couldn't be someone she was well acquainted with. "Granger, I know you can hear me." The voice was familiar somehow, but it couldn't be who she thought it was.

"Please, Granger, just listen." The person was now pleading with her. Hermione couldn't resist any longer. She looked up into the tired, worried face of Draco Malfoy.

"What do you need, Malfoy?" She asked, keeping her tone uninterested.

"Help." The plea was quiet. Malfoy looked like he was about to faint for loss or pain of something.

"What kind of help? Medical?" Hermione studied him. He looked fine besides the dark lines under his eyes.

"Come with me." Malfoy stood, and walked out of the library, not bothering to see if she followed him. He seemed to know she would. Hermione gathered her things and hurried out of the room. After glancing around, she saw Malfoy disappearing down the corridor to her left.

She managed to keep her eye on him as she followed him. At last, he went into an empty classroom and she entered after looking to around to make sure no one was watching her. Malfoy was facing her when she entered. There was no sneer, no smirk, just plain desperation on his face. He held out his hand to her, palm up and open. She instinctively drew back into the door and stopped.

"Malfoy, what-?" He was pulling up his sleeve. Hermione gasped. The dark mark stood out against his pale skin.

"Get it off." He whispered listlessly. "Voldemort is gone. My name has been cleared and it is just on me, mocking me."

Hermione felt pity for her old enemy. Malfoy was tormented by this tattoo. The image must make him sick.

"Malfoy," she started. "I don't think it can come off. There are no books about it. Nothing."

"It has to!" He insisted. "He's dead! It doesn't work, it just sits there, slapping me in the face every time I see it."

Hermione cautiously took his outstretched hand into her own and led him over to a chair. She pulled another one for herself and sat next to him.

"Why me, Draco?" She spoke his name softly, gently.

"Because you're you. The smartest girl in the whole school. You can do it." Malfoy wasn't looking at her; his face was fixed on the dark mark.

Hermione knew his words had hit home. Why shouldn't she try to get rid of it? She could experiment, surely. Research would make it all the easier, even if there wasn't anything on dark marks.

She cover the mark with her other hand and Malfoy looked up at her.

"I can try."

Relief eased into Malfoy's face. His shoulders slumped from their stiff pose and a small smile graced his features. "Thank you."

**So chapter one is done! Please review!**


	3. Late At Night

**Okay, so chapter two is here! Please review! Thank you for waiting!**

Chapter Two

Hermione wasn't sure what to do. She had told Malfoy she would try, but she could think of nothing. She was busy, trying to find something, anything. She had never broken a promise, and she wasn't going to now.

The next day after classes, she hurried to the library and finished her homework. Then she searched the library from top to bottom, pulling out anything that even mentioned evil magic.

And then she read every page that mentioned something about dark marks, or even dark spells or magic.

At 8:30 that night, someone entered the library and headed straight for Hermione.

"Why on earth did you miss dinner?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked up, her eyes bright. "I'm working on something." She said.

Harry sighed. "Can't it wait?"

"Sorry, Harry. I want to finish it as quickly as I can."

Harry nodded and left. Hermione returned to her work, only to be interrupted by yet another person. This one seated himself next to her and didn't say anything for a few minutes. Just when she began to wonder why they were there, they, or he, spoke.

"It's 8:45." She recognized the voice as Malfoy's.

"Thank you, I have a watch." Hermione told him.

"Would you have looked at it at this precise moment?" He asked.

Hermione shook her head and closed the book. Malfoy was staring at her, his tired look still in place, but the worry not as evident.

"You should get some sleep." They said at the same time. Hermione giggled softly and Malfoy smiled.

"But, Draco," Hermione said. "I haven't found anything and the library doesn't close for a while."

"Granger, you don't have to do everything in one day. Go get some sleep. These books will still be here in the morning, or whenever you come again." Malfoy took her arm and pulled her up, standing up also.

Hermione reluctantly went with him out of the library. He moved his hand down her arm until her was holding her hand and walked her to the Gryffindor corridor.

He paused uncertainly and turned to face her. Hermione didn't move. Malfoy had done something she never would have guessed possible for him. He had held her hand. _Her _hand. A mudblood's hand. He had not been forced; he had willingly taken her hand.

"Granger, I want to thank you again for what you're doing. It…" He paused and dropped his face. "It means a lot to me. I've been your enemy for so long and I never, ever thought you'd…well, that you'd act this way, and do this for me."

Hermione struggled with her emotions. He was correct about him being her enemy. But, she wasn't sure. Had he really thought she would have turned a blind eye to his pain, and just walk away? She wasn't that heartless, was she? She hadn't acted that way to him before, had she?

Malfoy turned to leave, dropping her hand. He had walked four steps before Hermione found her voice.

"Draco." He stopped and she continued. "Thank you for asking me. That…tells me you're willing to change. And…you're welcome. Good-night." She turned and fled to the portrait. She missed the faint 'good-night' said to her in return.

**I apologize for any mispellings or grammer mistakes. **

**Please review! I'm serious, all of you who have me on your story alert, PLEASE review! It helps me to update faster and to get my plot brain working!**

**Cherish**


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